At Ease in Nature: Nature Holds Our Stories

At Ease in Nature: Nature Holds Our Stories brings together artists with a U.S. military connection to explore the ways nature can hold memory, witness personal experience, and offer space for reflection and healing.

Presented by Brushwood Center at the Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie Library, the exhibition brings together artwork, photography, and personal narratives from current service members, Veterans, and their immediate family members and caregivers. These works reflect the many ways relationships with the natural world can shape stories of service, transition, resilience, family, and belonging.

Through diverse artistic perspectives and lived experiences, At Ease in Nature: Nature Hold Our Stories honors the connection between service, storytelling, and the restorative power of the natural world. Together, these works create a space for recognition, reflection, and shared understanding; reminding us that sometimes, in nature, we find room to pause, reconnect, and feel at ease.

Please join us for a closing reception on October 24 to celebrate the artists and the exhibition.

Please note: General admission to the Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie is required to view this exhibition. Exhibiting artists may attend at no cost.

Exhibiting artists who would like to attend the closing reception on October 24 at no cost must register for the event by October 1, 2026.

Admission fees for the Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie can be found at waukeganparks.org/parks-facilities/carnegie/